Philippe Boucher is a queer Québécois who grew up in Tiohtià:ke/Montréal and is pursuing a PhD in Legal Studies at Carleton University in Ottawa, on Anishinabeg territory. Having worked with Indigenous communities for nearly ten years, his collaborative doctoral research focuses on transforming criminal justice by centering Indigenous legal traditions and the experiences of Indigenous people in court.
Passionate about social justice and languages, Philippe serves as a lecturer, researcher, and justice advisor to Indigenous organizations. He holds a master’s degree in criminology from the Université de Montréal, where his master’s thesis explores Indigenous men’s healing journeys to end domestic violence. His bachelor’s degree from Concordia University combined First Peoples Studies and Sociology, along with a student exchange in Arctic Studies at the University of Lapland in Finland.
His community involvement and academic excellence have earned him prestigious distinctions, including a doctoral scholarship from the Fonds de recherche du Québec and the Québec Lieutenant Governor’s Medal. Philippe is currently the Secretary-Treasurer of the First Peoples Justice Centre of Tiotià:ke/Montréal and Co-Chair of the 18th Annual Conference of the Graduate Legal Studies Association.
Indigenous Women as a Vulnerability Factor in Sentencing: How Criminal Code sections 718.04 and 718.201 Weaken Gladue and Entrench Discrimination against Indigenous Offenders
2025
In 2019, Bill C-75 introduced sections 718.04 and 718.201 of the Criminal Code, directing courts to prioritize denunciation and deterrence in cases of violence against women and to consider the “increased vulnerability” of Indigenous female victims. Though framed as protective, these provisions risk undermining Gladue by intensifying the incarceration of Indigenous offenders and essentializing Indigenous women as inherently vulnerable. Drawing on appellate jurisprudence, such as R v Cope (2024), parliamentary debates, and academic literature, this article argues that the provisions raise equality concerns under section 15 of the Charter and should be narrowly interpreted to avoid discriminatory impacts.
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Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship
2025
The Government of Canada launched the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships (Vanier CGS) program in 2008 to strengthen Canada's ability to attract and retain world-class doctoral students and establish Canada as a global centre of excellence in research and higher learning. Vanier Scholars demonstrate leadership skills and a high standard of scholarly achievement in graduate studies in the social sciences and humanities, natural sciences and/or engineering and health.
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